News Release

Friday, February 1, 2013

Marijuana and Weapons Seized During Warrant Service NR13028bb

Los Angeles: LAPD Narcotics officers served a search warrant at a location near Downtown Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, netting a large amount of marijuana, and several guns.

On January 31, 2013 around 11a.m., officers from the Olympic Division Narcotics Enforcement Detail (NED), along with agents from the Homeland Security Investigations, Los Angeles Gang Group, executed a search warrant at a warehouse located in the 2000 block of East 15th Street. The location housed a large marijuana cultivation operation, where officers and agents seized over 1500 pounds of dried marijuana and marijuana plants. The officers also seized two assault rifles, a rifle, 2 shotguns and 3 pistols.

Officials from the Department of Water and Power and Building and Safety also responded to the location because the warehouse was using dangerous amounts of electricity. They noticed that electricity lines attached to the building were charred from the amount of power going through the lines which placed the building at extreme fire risk. There were families living in this warehouse as well as legitimate businesses who were placed at risk by this enormous operation.

Investigators believed that this marijuana operation was producing an estimated street value of $7.6 million every 60 days and was supplying marijuana to numerous stores throughout the Southern California region as well as shipping marijuana to the Midwest and the East Coast. Four suspects were arrested and more arrests are anticipated.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Olympic Division NED Detectives, at 310-382-6615. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.